The Massive #17 (Dark Horse): Continues to be one of my favorites. In #11, Callum Israel, the unyielding–and anachronistic–idealist, stares down an agent of the new reality: whaler, Bors Borgsen. “Tomorrow [they] do go to war,” and I can’t wait.

Mind MGMT #17 (Dark Horse): How much did I love #16? Let me count the ways: it was our #3 book of October.

Mind MGMT #17

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #28 (IDW): “City Fall” comes to an end–and so too, sadly, does Mateus Santolouco’s run as the artist. Admission: I’ve enjoyed the arc a lot, more so than I expected to. Not much of a Turtles fan, I jumped on board because of Santolouco’s art; thing is, I just may stick around even after this one. Never would’ve guessed that in a million years.

TMNT #28

Bedlam #10 (Image): I’ve gone a long while with this one without feeling a connection to a single character. I should just drop the damn thing and be done with it once and for all. (Instead, I kinda feel like I’m the one being dropped–not unlike the fella falling to the pavement on the cover of #9.) Big words from someone who’s not standing in a comic shop filled with shiny new books–books that seem to know that I have the constitution of an secondhand accordion.

Black Science #1 (Image): I’m not too sure if I’m going to bother with this. I know, I know: it’s an Image #1, and that usually means it’s gonna end up in my bag. But I’m carrying a pretty significant grudge: I’m not going to mince words: I hate what Rick Remender did with Captain America in the NOW! I couldn’t read past #3. I came back, mind you, once Remender pulled Cap out of Dimension Z. Still, everything was wrong–so terribly wrong. Traitorously wrong. The only reason I might even try this one is because sometimes writers I haven’t liked very much on established characters shine while developing their own. Yeah, that’s my science.

Pretty Deadly #2 (Image): Expectations are pretty darned low after a muddled and all-too-familiar first issue. I’m going to be fair, though, and give it a flip through. Sometimes a series needs that second or third issue to take off and find its own space. I usually extend that courtesy to creators I like or characters I like; that’s not the case here, however. Maybe it’s because I’ve developed a weak spot for westerns of late. We’ll see.

Rat Queens #3 (Image): The book’s got a bit of a Saga vibe, doesn’t it? Didn’t notice it so much in #1; but in #2, it’s pretty obvious–especially in the strong final note. “Buckets” of fun! I mean, it’s not nearly as refined, as deliberate; it’s exuberant prose, where Saga‘s poetry. Here we go: it’s as if Wiebe’s throwing all at the wall and is keeping everything that sticks and–aw, why the hell not?–everything that doesn’t. Despite its checkered execution, there’s plenty to like. Queen me!

Rat Queens #3

Saga #16 (Image): “Perfect, gumdrop.” And that’s all ye need to know.

Saga #16

Sidekick #4 (Image): All that work–and for what? Talk about the St. Louis blues! Flyboy’s gotta be sidekicking himself! Heh. Mostly a solid issue. Certainly worth another shot.

All-New X-Men #19 (Marvel): #18 was better than I expected it to be. Could do without the new unis, though. Brought me back–appropriately, I suspect–to my initial reaction to the awful uniforms donned by the very same bunch upon their “dramatic return” in X-Factor #1 (1986).

Hawkeye #14 (Marvel): I loved #13. In fact, it was this close to making our Top 5 for October. It’s Matt Fraction at his heroic best. Doesn’t hurt that he’s got David Aja and Matt Hollingsworth affirming it all with their artistic version of the truth. Fraction may be hitting the haystack with Sex Criminals; here, however, he’s center bull.

Letter 44 #2 (Oni Press): I said my peace–fighting words for some–about #1 over on our Top 5 for October. Thing is, it wasn’t a part of the Top 5–it was our Biggest Dis. Despite the dis–a pretty friendly one, if I’m being honest–I’m hoping that something significant happens here. If Soule drags out the reveal of the aliens, I’m off–unless President Blades shines again. Then I may stick around for another. Accordion, indeed.

Extreme Makeover Edition! This month’s list features five new titles. That’s right: not one of the books from last month’s list is making a repeat appearance. For those scoring at home, that’s the first time that’s happened. Two ways to look at this: last month’s titles par excellence took the inevitable step back (alas, this is partially true – I’m looking at you, Saga!) Or, you may arrive at the conclusion that we have after making these lists every month: there’s a ton of great new comics being produced right now. Really, just the 5 below titles alone represent a cross-section of material that either you, or at the very least someone you know, would get a tremendous kick out of.

5. The Sandman: Overture #1 (DC/Vertigo): This one comes as no surprise. Neil Gaiman, one of the most celebrated writers of our time, makes the long-awaited return to his signature creation, The Sandman. What is surprising is how easily Gaiman re-envelops you in his world. That would be the world of Dream, the name of both the title character and the realm he is lord of; the Endless, his immortal brothers and sisters, each representing a facet of existence that starts with the letter “D” (like Gaiman’s winning goth-punk-cute take on Death); and the host of mythological beings, endearing and terrifying, that were introduced during Sandman’s original, legendary run. This could easily have been a greatest hits tour; give some page space to old fan-favorite characters, indulge your readership’s sense of nostalgia, and call it a day. Gaiman does indeed deliver on both these counts. But what quickly becomes evident is that what is missed most is not the characters, nor even their fantastical world; it is Gaiman’s voice. Alternately warm and wise, mysterious and remote, it has more magic in it than all of the wings and wands and arcane trappings that pass for so much of fantasy these days. And I haven’t even mentioned J.H. Williams art yet. Exquisite draftsmanship, a painterly palette that ranges from monochromatic to kaleidoscopic depending on the scene, eye-popping design that includes double and quadruple-page spreads (you’ll have to see for yourself); suffice it to say that, other than his longtime partnership with Dave McKean, this may be Gaiman’s most fortuitous artistic pairing yet. And that is saying something. A most welcome return. (DM)

The Sandman: Overture #1

4. Wild Blue Yonder #3 (IDW): After a brief hiatus, Wild Blue Yonder soars back onto the scene without having missed a beat. That’s right: it’s another action-packed issue from the terrific team of Mike Raicht, Zach Howard, Nelson Daniel, and Austin Harrison, who are well on their way toward cementing this series as one of the year’s best. Every note is played perfectly, as one might expect after two smartly developed and beautifully rendered issues. Chapter Three takes off with a testosterone-fueled test–one that leaves Tug, the clever new gun, with a sore jaw, a result of the unimpressed Scram’s heavy-handed assessment–and lands with a low-fuel rescue and a highly-anticipated kiss. (Looks like Tug’s jaw was all right, after all.) The care taken to craft such a superb story arc is reflected–more, it’s amplified–by Howard’s art and Daniel’s colors, which together capture both the chaotic and the tender moments with remarkable ease–with no better example of the delicate balance struck issue-wide than the absolutely stunning double-page spread that rests at the heart of this fabulously fun book. Despite that romantic scene and the kiss that closes the chapter, we’re still left with the knowledge that Tug’s loyalties lie elsewhere–with the Judge. Hey: he may be coming around to the cause; or maybe he’s simply playing Cola for the free-spirited fool that she is. Who’s going to win this war of Tug? Please, please, please don’t make me have to wait another three months to find out! (SC)

Wild Blue Yonder #3

3. Mind MGMT #16 (Dark Horse): At sixteen-issues old, Matt Kindt’s magnum opus is clearly the most mature book on our list, but don’t let its age fool you: it’s still contagiously kinetic and impossibly unpredictable–especially here in this expectation-erasing one-shot, which showcases Kindt’s incomparable ability to marry his watercolors and his words. Once again, he “escape[s] into books” and plays both sides of the unique relationship between reader and writer, tapping into the fascination, obsession, and madness of this novel form of unrequited love. Kindt takes a risk as he builds this complex character study on a character who’s important to the overarching storyline, sure, but in whom we’ve yet to make a significant investment. The risk pays off: he fills up the blank spaces in the Eraser: he sets up and sells Julianne’s psychosis, her rapid divorce from reality, by literally drawing what’s going on in her mind and, as a result, figuratively drawing us into it. We follow her, observe her, as she follows and observes; and her anxiety, which builds with each panel, parallels ours–not surprisingly thanks to Kindt’s attention to detail as he creates a memory game of sorts throughout the issue: one in which he challenges us to see patterns, subtle parallels between one panel, one page and another, even as Julianne’s own memory seemingly fails her–particularly in terms of her husband, the author of her obsession, Philip K. Verve. Whether it’s a crescendo of phantom “taps,” a persistent mask of pipe smoke, or a face left unfinished, Kindt cleverly details her descent all the way toward the penultimate page of the story proper: a stunning splash, which, ironically, after an ascent–of stairs, anyway–brings the fictitious relationship to its inevitable, bloody end. From the beginning, Mind MGMT has been a comic book experience unlike any other. This issue may very well be the best of the bunch: it engages us as fully as the medium can; and, as Kindt writes through his art (see below), he manages to get us to think not only while we’re lost in the story, but long after we’ve finished reading it, as well. (SC)

Mind MGMT #16 p. 15

2. Afterlife with Archie #1 (Archie): This was, perhaps, inevitable. We live in a mash-up world after all. Bluegrass techno music. Superheroes on Broadway. Bacon and everything. Add the seemingly undying craze for zombies, and it’s actually surprising it took this long. Now, at their worst, these types of amalgamations are self-indulgent exercises in pointlessness. And yet, there’s something about this... Just reading the title gives rise to an involuntary smile. The prospect of throwing those beloved, unaging teen icons and their whitewashed Norman Rockwell existence into a flesh-rending, post-apocalyptic fervor holds the excitement of both a dare and a promise. Indeed the difficulty may be in staying true to the Archie half of the equation. For this to work, there has to be a genuine understanding of these characters and their world; otherwise it could easily descend to a Mad magazine parody. Luckily, writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa seems up to the task. (His work salvaging the aforementioned superhero musical may have provided good training ground in the mash-up dept.) These characters act the way they’re supposed to; the corny jokes, the anachronistic cat-fighting of Betty and Veronica. But then there is the palpable mood of creeping horror, thanks largely to the stunning art of modern pulp-master Francesco Francavilla (which is, by itself, worth the price of admission – honestly I would’ve bought a regular issue of Archie Digest if Francavilla was drawing it. Note to self: Digest Archie would’ve been a great alternative title for this book.) Aguirre-Sarcasa promises much darker times ahead. The thrill of this book will be seeing how far he can go while still having it be recognizable as an Archie comic. It’s quite the task he’s set for himself. And if he goes too far? Well, that could be fun too… (DM)

Afterlife with Archie #1

1. Zero #2 (Image): Issue one was pretty good: Ales Kot presented a espionage/black-ops story involving a superhuman arms race. Not the most original concept, but placing it in the context of the ongoing Arab-Israeli conflict gave it a certain edge, aptly rendered by Michael Walsh’s choppy, early-Mazzucchelli realism. Issue two is a different beast entirely. The mysterious operative, Zero, is still the main character. We are again witness to a political assassination. And yet the tone couldn’t be more different. Whereas the first issue was all brutality and military jargon, the second issue balances the awful goings-on with a poignant tale of innocence lost. Or more accurately, torn away. In this issue, we flashback to Zero’s childhood. The sweet, unaffected cadence of his young view of the world is set side-by-side with the harsh nihilism of his education in sanctioned murder. This duality heightens the mood of each, a quality that extends to the art, which also couldn’t be more different from the first issue. Tradd Moore’s work exudes the literally wide-eyed, childlike perspective, without skimping out on any of the violence, by employing linework that has more of a late-Mazzucchelli grace; a clean, exuberant style suggestive of animation, or dare I suggest, even a touch of Al Hirschfeld (I’ve never before encountered an image of a brain-splattered assassination in which I wanted to count the ‘Nina’s‘.) In presenting two initial issues that attack his basic premise from wildly different angles (and artists), Kot has proven himself quite the chameleon, and hopefully set up that rare book in which, month to month, you truly don’t know what to expect. Book of the Month. (DM)

Zero #2

The Biggest Dis(appointment): Letter 44 #1 (Oni Press)

Letter 44 #1

Welcome to the dis, Mr. Soule. So you know, the next few lines are going to be rough. A bunch of over-the-toppositivereviews and a TV deal in the works don’t really prepare you for being The Biggest Dis(appointment) of the month–but you’ll get through it. They all do.

Sorry. Seemed fitting.

If I’m being honest, your being here isn’t really your fault. Your book’s actually pretty good. In fact, the first page is “something else,” and the introduction to 44 is expertly done; we know exactly what kind of man he is in four pages flat. Your dialogue is sharp and naturalistic; and Alburquerque’s art does its job. But my perspective changed after the abrupt insinuation of the, umm, extraterrestrial problem. And you knew it would, didn’t you? I mean, you had the President-elect express–perhaps even more accurately–exactly what I was thinking a couple of panels later. Clever, sir!

Now don’t get me wrong: I can suspend disbelief with the best of ’em. Problem is, my disbelief immediately got suspended alongside several former disbeliefs that got strung up as a result of my having endured rockbusters like Armageddon and Deep Impact, and the soulless Independence Day. It’s an inglorious gallows, indeed. So, expectations? Exploded. A big budget’s worth of bust for only a buck!

As the issue wears on–and it does–it wears the White House well; the crew of the Clarke, well, not so much. But, hey, it happens. In this case, it is your fault for having created such a strong character in President Blades. Any time he’s not on the page, however, the story suffers–but not as much as it suffered from its not living up to the previews and reviews that held it up to the heavens.

I think you’d agree: it’s not quite there yet. I mean, at this stage, the core of Letter 44 is nothing more than a mostly familiar concept. But will I give your book another issue? Sure I will. Will your book eventually meet the hyperbolic expectations heaped upon it–if not in #2, sometime soon? Will it play more like an artsy independent film and less like a brain-dead blockbuster? I have no idea. Heck, I’d be happy if it meets the humble expectations I’ve now tied to it. But as it stands, I expected more from this, which is why your initial offering has earned a dis. (SC)

Brain Boy #3 (Dark Horse): Kind of glad it’s over. Of late, I’ve been high on anything Fred Van Lente (Archer & Armstrong, The Mocking Dead), but this has been rather underwhelming. The art from R.B. Silva, however, has been brain blowing!

Buzzkill #3 (Dark Horse): A sniper of a first issue, followed up by an even sharper second shot. Here’s to hopin’ Cates et al don’t kill the buzz–cuz we know what happens all too often to minis that rely on clever premises: Can you say Colder? How ’bout Dream Thief?

Batman and Two-Face #25 (DC): #24 started off a little rough for me. Then came the moment Dent became Two-Face. Wow. Peter J. Tomasi’s got a knack–a Knight knack not seen in the big Batbook. He and his book deserve more credit and attention for what he and it are accomplishing here in the rather unforgiving confines of the New 52.

Batman and Two-Face #25

Harley Quinn #0 (DC): I love Harley. Not so sure I’m going to love this. Will too many artists spoil the birth of this series? We’ll see. Heh.

The Wake #5 (DC/Vertigo): Wake me when it’s over.

A Voice in the Dark #1 (Image): I’m not familiar with Larime Taylor, but I am intrigued by the premise. Oh, and it’s an Image #1, so… Not that that’s any sort of guarantee: see Umbral. Ugh.

Clone #12 (Image): #11 was, perhaps, the best issue yet. It’s a high energy read that’s expertly crafted: from the ridiculously detailed art to the danger drummed up in the dialogue. An absolute clinic in the power of the page turn.

Clone #12

Sex Criminals #3 (Image): Expect another Fraction-packed issue! Fantasizing: in the end, will this series prove to be no more than an experiment in creative masturbation, or will it all come together into something far more satisfying? Either way, I’m open for to another session.

Sheltered #5 (Image): Doggone it! Now, that’s the way to end a comic book! With #4, Ed Brisson bared his teeth and the series’ soul. Sure, there’s long-term concern; but in the short term, this hard-hitter comes with high expectations.

Zero #3 (Image): Ales Kot has found his playground. #2 was brilliant. There is a 0% chance of my missing this one.

Zero #3

Daredevil #33 (Marvel): A monster #32 was overshadowed by the horrifying news of the imminent demise of this remarkable run of Daredevil. I’m not sure that I’m down with the daring jump to digital only. Makes me super sad, especially since it’s this run–starting with #1–that brought me back to comics after too many years away. Who knew they’d be wrapping it up so soon?

Daredevil #33

Uncanny X-Men #14 (Marvel): I long to be an ex-X-reader. Seriously. In fact, I really thought Battle of the Atom would be enough to drive me away for good. Thing is, I’m buying into Bendis’s Cyclops. And Bachalo’s awesome. Oh, and…

X-Men #7 (Marvel): After a terrible #6 (a BotA tie-in, of course), I swore up and down that I was out. But Brian Wood’s so good–well, at writing comics, anyway.

Rachel Rising #21 (Abstract Studio): #20 was filled with Moore amazing moments–a masterful mix of horror and humor. Loved the first two pages with the serpentine smoke, snaking from panel to panel. Speaking of snakes…

Rachel Rising #21

X-O Manowar #19 (Valiant): Has really taken off of late. Ironic, eh? You know, because they’ve finally returned to Earth and… Oh, you know.

Afterlife with Archie #2 (Archie): You know you loved #1. And if you didn’t, it’s only because you didn’t read it. Great storytelling from Roberto Aguirre Sacasa and Francesco Francavilla. That’s right: get you some Archie!

The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys #5 (The cozy weirdness has gotten uncomfortably familiar. And, wait: is that Maxine and Socks at the end?)

Sandman: Overture #1 (Elegant, mysterious, and impossibly beautiful. Neil Gaiman’s got us reading out of the palm of his handsome mythology once again; and the peerless J.H. Williams makes his end of the Endless look so easy–so easy, in fact, that the experience demands one’s going back to admire his complex layouts and otherworldly attention to detail.)

Wild Blue Yonder #3 (Another high-energy installment of the year’s biggest blockbuster, this one sporting a spectacular–and perfectly peaceful–double-page spread smack dab in the middle. I suspect we’ll have more to say about this one.)

Wild Blue Yonder #3

Saga #15 (Once again, Vaughan and Staples skewer expectations! And how about that final sequence? A willful assault, indeed!)

X-Men: Battle of the Atom #2 (In the end, one epilogue shy of epic brilliance. “[R]idiculous schism,” indeed! The most significant aftermath of this event: figuring out which of the X-books I’ll end up subtracting from my monthly haul as a result of this pointless glossover.)

The Fox #1 (A bit of a disappointment, considering the names attached to it. Had to give it a shot, right? I’m sure you did, too. Well, after this unwieldy, unfunny offering, I’m out. You?)

Like this:

Having trouble narrowing down your choices this week? Let me not help you at all.

The Shaolin Cowboy #2 (Dark Horse): #1 was a clinic in visual storytelling from Geof Darrow. If you passed it up, do yourself a favor: track it down. In the meantime, grab this one and savor every page–every panel–until page 25. At that point, take a deep breath; take a deep breath and dive into an undead double-page spread the likes of which you’ve never seen. Yeah: the last three pages form a wordless triptych that’ll leave you at a loss for words.

The Shaolin Cowboy #2

Astro City #6 (DC/Vertigo): Everything interesting from DC is coming out of the Vertigo camp. You know you know it.

Deathmatch #11 (BOOM!): Has been good all along, but the last few issues have been killer. A terrible, terrible shame it’s got to go. At least it’s from natural causes.

Deathmatch #11

Red Team #6 (Dynamite): Another series on its way out. If last issue’s any indication, it may be for the better. Plus, it doesn’t help that BOOM’s Hit is hitting some of the same–and even some higher–notes.

Harbinger #18 (Valiant): I’ve already dropped Bloodshot. I have a feeling that Harbinger‘s not far behind.

The Mocking Dead #3 (Dynamite): More so The Mocking Everything. Fred Van Lente’s one dangerous son of a gun. What a friggin’ fun book!

Unity #1 (Valiant): I’m a huge Matt Kindt fan, so I’m going into this new Valiant #1 with unreasonably high hopes. As it is, I haven’t liked anything he’s done during this hot streak of his with characters not wholly his own. Ugh! It’s the same trap we’ve seen Snyder and Lemire fall into as they’ve stumbled on their respective superhero books. So, expectations low, but hopes really, really high.

Unity #1

Watson and Holmes #5 (New Paradigm): #3 and #4 are on my catch-up pile. I’ll get to them eventually.

Like this:

Hinterkind #2 (DC/Vertigo): I’ve heard most of the notes before. Hoping the composition’s more complex–starting with this measure. If it ain’t, I’m out.

Superman Unchained #4 (DC): No longer sure what this is supposed to be, especially since it’s been established that this maxi-hyped title is now a mini-series. No. You know what? I know what this was supposed to be–what it is: it’s a marketing scheme gone awry. Scott Snyder has offered enough premise-wise to nudge me toward good buy; but Jim Lee’s typical pin-up-per-panel letdown has led me to good-bye.

Trillium #4 (DC/Vertigo): Jeff Lemire made some interesting–and by interesting, I mean questionable–choices in #3. No matter: the first two were masterful.

Trillium #4

Alex + Ada #1 (Image): I’m not familiar with the creators, but it is an Image #1, so…

Fatale #18 (Image): Still one of the best books around. I wonder, however, if the book will be affected negatively now that Ed Brubaker’s doing double duty with Velvet.

Fatale #18

East of West #7 (Image): As of #6, I’m completely sold on this.

Ten Grand #5 (Image): J. Michael Straczynski and Ben Templesmith have put together a book worth every penny. I hope it doesn’t lose value now that there’s a new artist on board. C.P. Smith’s got some big panels to fill.

Ten Grand #5

Department of Monsterology #2 (Renegade): P.J. Holden, the artist on the recently wrapped up Numbercruncher, is the draw here. I missed #1, but I’ve been given some assurances that I won’t be without it for too long.

God Is Dead #3 (Avatar): This is as much Hickman’s playground as the Earth is the gods’. It’s not as polished–nor as engaging–as TMP or East of West, but there’s something about it–maybe a hint of Jenkins’ Deathmatch, but with sadistic supernaturals–that’s keeping me around.

Uber #7 (Avatar): Gillen’s shining on this series. He hasn’t missed a beat even as he’s gotten more Pacific.

Quantum and Woody #5 (Valiant): Fun! In fact, survived the Valiant purge because of its rollicking irreverence. (Can’t say the same about Bloodshot, which got cut because of its very sudden irrelevance.)

Shadowman #12 (Valiant): How’s this for a change: Ales Kot’s casting an issue’s worth of shadow, keeping the writer’s seat warm for the new Shadow man, Peter Milligan, who’s on board with #13.